Naomi Osaka is finally back to play on the WTA tour after her struggle. The Japanese sensation withdrew from the French Open a couple of months ago after refusing to attend press conferences.
Later, the Japanese player decided not to play in Wimbledon and compete only on the occasion of the Olympic Games. After losing in the third round in Tokyo, Naomi Osaka revealed that she was unsure when she would be back to competitions. Osaka didn’t play in Montreal, but she decided to stage a comeback in Cincinnati.
Tears during the press conference
Naomi broke down in tears during her first press conference in Cincinnati. Apparently, she couldn’t deal with an aggressive tone of a journalist during the presser. After answering the question, Naomi Osaka started to cry and then left the Press Room.
The big question mark is if Naomi is in the right state of mind to deal with the pressure of professional tennis.
Naomi Osaka is expected to play Coco Gauff in the opening match.
Naomi Osaka in 2021
Now the world no.2, Naomi played her last match on the 27th
of July when she was defeated by world no.42 Marketa Vondrousova 6-1 6-4 in the 3rd round in Tokyo (draw).Currently, during this year the Japanese has a 16-4 win-loss record. Osaka has won 1 title at the Australian Open.
Cori Gauff in 2021
Ranked world no.24, the American played her last match on the 13th of August when she capitulated to world no.71 Camila Giorgi 6-4 7-6(2) in the quarter in Montreal (draw).
During this season Gauff has managed to achieve an overall 33-13 record. Gauff clinched 1 title in Parma.
Naomi Osaka and Cori Gauff clashed against each other just twice. Their actual record is 1-1. Previously, the last time they competed against each other, Cori Gauff won 6-3 6-4 in the 3rd round in Melbourne (Australian Open) in January 2020.
In the following video you can watch the key moments of their match.